electiontracker is a project of non-profit youth media and arts organisation Vibewire Inc and is designed to provide young Australians with information relevant to them during the Federal election. It is made possible by the support and collaboration of the Dusseldorp Skills Forum.

electiontracker involves four young writers, aged 19-23, joining the press contingent following John Howard and Kevin Rudd on the campaign trail, supported by a wider team of young writers covering the issues and conversations that matter this election from a youth perspective.

Our goal is to engage younger and first-time voters in active citizenship, allowing them to make a more educated choice in the ballot box and feel a part of our democratic conversation.

Project Coordinator: Tom Dawkins

Managing Editor: Jem Anning (Bio)

YHA is a major sponsor of electiontracker, providing accomodation for the trackers across Australia.

YHA hostels and membership info for Australia and around the world.

The trackers are not only the only youth media representatives on the campaign trail, they are the only representatives from an independent media organisation, and as such they will be covering the election from a unique perspective and focusing on issues ignored by the mainstream press.

electiontracker is run by a young team based in Vibewire’s offices in Ultimo Sydney and spread out right around the country. Vibewire is a youth-led organisation which exists to facilitate and promote the creative and political expression of young Australians.

History:

During the 2004 Federal Election Vibewire made history by placing the first ever youth correspondents on the campaign trail as part of the electiontracker project.

The four young journalists, aged 18, 19, 22 and 25, travelled with the Labor and Coalition Leaders press contingents for one week each in the fortnight leading up to the election. These writers wrote two stories for electiontracker each day – one news report/analysis, and one blog entry. A group of over 30 highly commended applicants from around the country also submitted regular stories to the site, so that frequently as many as twelve features were published each day. These stories were a mix of news, commentary, policy analysis, satire and personal blogging. The site also encompassed voting and enrolment information, information on major parties, Q&As with candidates and MPs, frequently asked questions, links, satire, email-a-politician forms, along with online forums offering visitors the chance to question representatives of the major parties.